CHENNAI: Actor Rajinikanth on Saturday said age-old tradition in the Sabarimala temple should be respected with regard to entry of women to the shrine. However, his counterpart and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan declined to comment on the issue.
Asked about the SC verdict on allowing women of all age groups to Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, Rajinikanth said “There is no second opinion on the view that women should be given equal rights. But, when it comes to temples, each would have certain unique age-old traditional practices. It is my humble view that no one should interfere in that.”
Questioned whether he wanted the verdict of the SC to be ignored, Rajinikanth said, “I did not mean that way. The verdict should be respected. What I mean is that when it comes to religious aspects and traditional practices, a considerate approach is better.”
Rajinikanth also denied reports that he might launch his political party on his birthday - December 12.
However, he said 90 per cent of the work for launching the party was over. He said it would be launched at an appropriate time.
Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan declined to comment on the Sabarimala issue. Asked about his view on the opinion of Rajinikanth that traditional practices in certain temples should be respected, Haasan said, “I had been to other temples, but not Ayyappa temple.
Further, it would not be appropriate to ask my view on that because I can’t give my view about devotees. So, it is better, I keep myself away from this issue.”
However, when a scribe said both Karnataka and Kerala were not honouring the verdict of the Supreme Court, Kamal Haasan said, “In Karnataka, it is different - the government there did not honour the SC verdict. But in Kerala, the people did not honour the SC verdict.”